Violet Sunrise
by phobo
Summary: Envy is enchanted by the beautiful alchemist he is sent to kidnap, forcing his inner feelings about human relationships to surface. Little does he know that those feelings go much deeper than anyone would have expected. M for language, violence/self-harm/abuse and LEMON!
1. A Philosopher's Stone Heart

**Chapter 1: A Philosopher's Stone Heart**

The dark green haired malevolent homunculus stared out at the rising sun as the country of Amestris began to wake. He was standing atop the largest hill outside of Central, pondering what this day might bring. He plopped down on the grassy hillock, closed his eyes, and let all of his vices go for just a moment. He's been known to be a sadistic and ruthless being, but every now and then he enjoyed sitting back, relaxing, and being able to think about absolutely nothing. The sunrise calmed him in this way. In that moment, his mind was a clean slate. He no longer had to feel like he was suffering simply by being alive.

Envy put up a narcissistic front in order to cover up his true emotions about his existence. He never felt satisfied with himself. The longing to be human crept into mind more times than he'd like to admit, which made him feel even more disgusted with himself. He was constantly overwhelmed with envy, making it difficult for him to appreciate the things he already had in his life. He wanted to believe that there was something better for him out there, he just wasn't quite sure what it was.

His purpose in life was not to seek out fulfillment for himself. He was created to simply be a pawn in his Father's twisted fantasy. For a long time, he forced himself to believe that he was content with that.

He had six siblings, but none of them seemed to think the way he did. He was closest to his eldest sister, Lust, and although they had their moments from time to time, he still didn't feel like he could open up to her as much as he would like to. She never showed signs of existential crisis; it seemed as though her only goal in mind was to please Father. Envy wanted this too, but his soul simply yearned for something more. At the very least, he wanted someone who would understand how he felt. Maybe even someone who cared for him.

Although these thoughts went through his mind time and time again, he wouldn't dare speak them out loud. The last thing he wanted was for people to know that he desired to feel human.

Envy awoke from his meditative state and slowly stood up, stretching his arms out by his sides in order to better steady himself. He took another glance at the beautiful view; the sun was well over the horizon by now. He shape-shifted into an Amestrian man with jet black hair, light blue eyes, and a tan trench coat and began to walk down the hill into town.

Walking through Central so early on a Friday morning was quite the nuisance. The city was in a frenzy; people were lined up and down the cobblestone streets, leaving almost no space for others to walk around them. Envy sighed deeply as he strolled casually through all the havoc around him.

Suddenly, Envy felt something smack against the back of his heels. He quickly turned around, scowling down at a little girl with dark brown braids and a floral patterned dress. She was looking up at him expectantly with a purple ball in her hands.

"Hi Mister," the little girl exclaimed happily, "Thank you for stopping my ball for me! Do you wanna play with me?" Envy sneered at the girl, then spat on the ground right near her feet. "Sorry, I'd rather not waste my precious time with such an insignificant being. I can't deal with you stupid humans." He turned around with one fluid movement, kicking dirt up with his leather shoes, and started back on the path he was on originally. From behind him, he heard the small child's weeping, but instinctively ignored it. He never let himself get close to any humans, in fear that he would become too intrigued with what he would discover about them. He decided that ignorance is bliss; he would rather hate the humans blindly than try to understand them.

* * *

Back in the winding, underground tunnels of Central Command, Envy transforms back into his preferred, androgynous form. As he opens the door to the living quarters, he is greeted by Lust, with Gluttony tagging alongside her. The busty woman is looking as flawless as ever: her long, almost-black hair angled perfectly around her face and her usual tight, black dress flattering the contours of her body. She opens her arms wide at the sight of her darling younger brother, the only homunculus she's ever truly shown affection for.

"Come here, my sweet Envy. Where have you been all day?" Lust wraps her arms around Envy and pulls him in for a sickeningly tight hug. Envy almost immediately pushes her away, feeling an uncomfortable warmth well up in his chest.

"Ugh, get away from me, Lust. Why must you be so overbearing and human-like? It's disgusting."

Lust giggles for a moment, then replies, "Envy, don't you think you should tone it down with the anti-human chatter? After all, the human lives inside your Philosopher's Stone are what gave you life. They're useful for _something_, you know. The humans are a part of you, no matter how hard you try to set yourself apart from them." With a wink and a smile, she turned away from Envy and Gluttony and walked down the dimly lit hallway and into her chambers.

The short, pudgy homunculus turns to face Envy and proudly declares, "Father said that he has a special mission for us, starting tonight. I just can't wait! I hope I get to eat the humans, they taste so good!" Envy snorts arrogantly at this idiotic remark. "I'm sure you will, Gluttony. I'm gonna go get some rest." He then starts down the same hallway as Lust, turns to the door next to hers, and shuts it tightly.

While in his room, Envy begins to think about what Lust had just iterated to him. He spreads himself out on his bed and clutches his chest, now fully aware of all of the human souls it took to create the Philosopher's Stone at the core of his being. He supposed it didn't mean too much, considering human lives were easily expendable compared to the life of a homunculus. With that thought, he quickly managed to erase the image of the Philosopher's Stone from his mind.

Wanting to abandon his confusing reality for a short while, Envy grabs a short blade from his nightstand and sits on his bed with his legs crossed. He takes a look at his right calf and begins to admire his unblemished, velvety skin. It looks as if he's never been touched by another living being, which might as well be true. He touched his smooth, porcelain skin lightly, creating small waves of oscillation wherever his fingertips met his skin.

He then begins to dig his short, trimmed nails into his leg, forcing a long, red scratch mark to appear._ "I shouldn't be teasing myself like this,"_ Envy judges, _"I should just go right for it this time. Why do I continue to make myself wait?"_

He takes the blade in his hand once again and begins to carve a deep, bloody circle into his leg. The pain/pleasure from the sensation urges him to moan intensely. His breathing quickens as he tears more deeply into his once-perfect skin. Once he finds the flesh wound to be satisfactory, he begins to draw shapes and patterns into his left arm — more lightly than before, but painful nonetheless. Envy throws his head back in pleasure and lets out a coarse, rough-sounding sigh. "Ohhhhhhh fuck yes…" The sensation of an electric current overflows within him and his body becomes drenched in sweat. This blissful feeling is enough for him to completely lose himself in the pure thrill of his momentary self-indulgence, the feeling of gratification overwhelming his entire being.

He thought that this moment simply couldn't get any better, until he heard a loud knock on his door.

"WHO THE FUCK IS IT?! I'M KIND OF BUSY IN HERE!" Envy throws the bloody knife on the ground in rage. He was just beginning to feel happiness in this sick, depressing world.

"It's Lust, baby. Father needs us all to go see him. We have an extremely important mission that he wants to fill us in on." Envy rolls his eyes in resentment. "Okay Lust, I'll be out in a second." He picks up the knife from the ground and begins to lick the blade, tasting every droplet of blood until the blade is licked clean.

By the time he's up and ready to go, Envy's wounds have already healed completely. He sighs disappointedly at the red lightning fading from his body, wishing something as lovely as his self-pleasure would stay permanent for once. He puts the blade back down where he found it, opens the door and shuts it behind him carelessly. "Let's go, Lust."

* * *

Envy and Lust walk into the large laboratory where Father does all of his experiments. Under his large spotlight were Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Wrath and Sloth.

"So, looks like everyone's here," Envy exclaimed, "Greed, I'm surprised you're here. What with all the trouble you've been causing on the surface lately. I'm surprised Father hasn't killed you yet." Greed lifted his sunglasses off his eyes. "Yeah you're one to talk, Envy. I know you like fucking around with the humans just as much as I do."

Envy gave him a wide smirk. "Well, I have to admit that there's nothing I love more than the pain and suffering of a human. Their cries and screams are simply music to my ears!" Lust rolled her eyes in disgust, while the rest of the homunculi all nodded their heads in agreement with Envy's statement.

"Hello my children, I apologize for being late. I was doing some research." Their father appears out of the shadows with a book in hand. He walks over to his throne and sits down as the homunculi being to gather around him, staring at him intently.

Envy decides to be the one to speak up first. "Well? What's our big mission for tonight, Father?" Father begins to stare straight through his children, as if engaged in deep thought. He then closes his eyes gently and mutters, "I need you to travel to Dublith and obtain someone for me. She is known as the Ultraviolet Alchemist. Her name is Verona Jacobssen and she is a former state alchemist. She has a great deal of knowledge on the Philosopher's Stone and will be of great use to me in the future, possibly for a human sacrifice. I believe that all of you should attempt to find her because although she resides in Dublith, I'm not sure of her exact whereabouts. So look in the city itself and on the outskirts of the city, too. I'm counting on all of you." And with that, Father gets up, turns to leave without saying a word, and slithers back into the darkness from whence he came.

After a few moments of silence, Pride decides to speak up. "Alright, so this is how the plan is going to go down: Wrath and I will be checking the northern and eastern areas outside of Dublith, Sloth and Greed will watch the western and southern sides, and Lust, Gluttony, and Envy will stay in the heart of the city until we find this woman. Is that understood?"

Greed scoffs at his older brother, kneels down and and grabs him by the shirt. "What makes you think you can make all the rules, huh? Just because you think Father trusts you the most? I don't wanna have to deal with this lazy asshole for the next few days!" He points towards Sloth, who is already falling asleep.

Pride seems unaffected by Greed's sudden outburst, until his shadow creeps up Greed's back and wraps around his throat. Greed drops Pride immediately, grabbing at his own throat in agony. After toying with his younger brother for a short while, Pride decides to let go of Greed's neck.

"You're pathetic, Greed. Come on, Wrath. We have an assignment to carry out." Pride and Wrath begin to stride out of the laboratory, clearly on their way to start the mission immediately.

Envy takes in a long breath, then sighs deeply. "Pride and Wrath, what a couple of assholes, huh Lust? Looks like we're stuck with Sir Eats-a-Lot for the next few days. This is just lovely!"

Lust slaps her younger brother in the face without hesitation. "Don't be mean to your brother. Once we're in Dublith we'll probably split up anyway, so stop complaining for once in your life and help us carry out the fucking mission." Lust could be nice when she wanted to be, but she could be a real bitch when she wanted to be, too.

Envy stayed silent for a moment, the feeling of rejection creeping up on him. He hated being disrespected, but he held back the urge to annihilate her. If it was anyone else, it would be a different story.

The absence of Envy's voice gave Lust the cue to continue. "Now, let's get a move on before Pride and Wrath start looking in the city. It would be a shame for them to have to pick up the slack for us, don't you think?"

Gluttony suddenly began to frown and tug on Lust's dress. "Does this mean I can't eat anyone, Lust? I was really excited…" Lust turns to Gluttony and pats him on the head soothingly. "Who knows Gluttony, maybe someone will get in our way of kidnapping this girl. If that happens, you get to have them all to yourself. How does that sound?" Gluttony begins to jump up and down due to anticipation. "Yes, yes! I would love that, Lust! Let's go right now, I can't keep my food waiting!" Gluttony waddles as quickly as he can out of the laboratory, while Lust and Envy leisurely follow suit.


	2. Violet Eyes of Insanity

**Chapter 2: Violet Eyes of Insanity**

The city of Dublith is almost perfect: it isn't nearly as busy as Central, but it still has enough tourists to keep it interesting. There aren't too many state alchemists in the area because there are rarely any problems that can't be fixed by Southern Command. It seems to be one of the most peaceful cities in Amestris, thanks to its distance from the border. Verona Jacobssen, a former state alchemist, resides in this tranquil city with her aunt, Carlotta. When her parents perished abruptly while doing research in Xerxes several years ago, Verona decided to turn in her pocket watch and enjoy a simple life in Dublith with her father's sister. She wanted to stay away from danger as much as she could, not only for her sake, but for her mourning aunt. To be quite honest, Verona never cared much about her own safety until she realized that her risk-taking could affect the lives of others.

She was interested in alchemy at a very young age, and her parents always enjoyed teaching her whatever they could. They were even more elated when she told them, at age 10, that her goal was to become a Dog of the Military. The title wasn't too flashy, but she knew that alchemists played a huge part in keeping the country safe. That being said, Verona's main concern had always been the welfare of others; she wanted to help as many people as possible. At age 16, she began to do just that by becoming a state alchemist. Four years later, she gave up her title as a state alchemist due to her parents' demise. Just as her parents died, her bravery and courage seemed to have died along with them. Not long after, she began her intensive research on the Philosopher's Stone, hoping to one day find a way to bring her parents back.

Verona waltzed down the dimly lit street carelessly, placing her small gladiator boots delicately on the sod ground with every step she took. Her strawberry blonde hair and dull gray eyes glistened whenever she crossed paths with a streetlight. The breeze quivered against her champagne summer dress, causing it to brush up against her pale thighs. As always, she was sporting her transmutation circle tattoos on the backs of her hands, both of which she had since she was 14. She never felt the need to cover them up; she wanted everyone who laid eyes on her to know that she was an alchemist.

Just an hour ago, her childhood friend Rosaline was calling her, asking her if she wanted to join her and a couple of old friends at the local tavern for awhile. Verona was delighted to spend some much-needed time with her friends, considering her aunt had been rather depressing to be around lately.

The tavern was full tonight. The booths were filled with stunning, young women and handsome men, all of whom were at least a little bit drunk. Luckily, the bar was huge enough for a few more people to be seated.

Verona was suddenly faced with her bubbly blue-eyed friend, Rosaline. "Verona! We're sitting down here, come with me!" She began to tug gently on Verona's hand, leading her to the far end of the bar where their other two friends were sitting. There was Kira, the introverted, dark-haired book worm from North City, and Xiu, the lovable Alkahestry nerd from Xing. Kira and Xiu were always closer to each other than anyone else, no matter where their lives took them. Verona liked to believe that her relationship with Rosaline was similar, but she never knew for sure exactly how close they were. Ever since her parents died, Verona distanced herself from most of the people she knew, even her closest friends.

"Hey guys! How are you?" Verona happily greeted them, then soon after became aware that the two girls were already drunk, considering their joint response was basically just a bunch of inaudible slurs and giggling.

Rosaline rolled her eyes at them. "Sorry Verona, I guess they decided to start the party before you even got here." Verona gave a small laugh, although she _was_ pretty annoyed. "Oh its fine, I wasn't expecting them to be too sober, anyway."

* * *

Rosaline slams down the once-full shot glass with all of her might. "Ha! Verona, let's see if you've still got what it takes to out drink me!" Verona begins to laugh hysterically, alcohol clearly coursing through her veins. She picks up two full shot glasses, one in each hand, and dumps them both down her throat, trying her hardest not to taste the vodka's pure bitterness. She sticks her tongue out in disgust, while Rosaline's jaw drops in disbelief. "You bitch! I can't believe you! You can still drink more than me!" Rosaline shoves her friend playfully, all while holding back the urge to vomit. Verona smiles victoriously. _"I'm the heavyweight champ, as always!"_ Without warning, Rosaline jumps up out of her seat and hurries to the bathroom, vomit already dripping through the corners of her small mouth.

The front door to the pub flies open as an angelic looking man steps through. He has short, dark brown, gelled-back hair, just the right amount of stubble and porcelain skin. He pauses for a moment as he begins to scope out the area. His mysterious, violet eyes come to a halt when he catches a glimpse of the person he was looking for. She was sitting at the far end of the bar, gazing off into the distance. The transmutation circles she exhibited on her hands gave her away. Much to his surprise, she looked rather stunning in the short, simple dress she wore. Everything about her seemed simple, yet so complex. He gaped at the way her long, soft-looking hair fell so gracefully onto the small of her back. Her eyes were a plain, gray color, but that just made him all the more fascinated with them. _"I wonder what kind of horrors those dreary eyes have seen,"_ he speculated thoughtfully. He began to get lost in her modest beauty. He saw strength and elegance in the contours of her frame, which made it even more difficult for him to stay on task. _"I can't do this… What am I thinking? I need to do what I was sent here to do. I can't be fantasizing about this girl, she's just an insignificant human."_

Verona, drunkenly staring out into space, is snapped out of her daydream when she feels a tap on her right shoulder. She turns her head, and to her surprise, is gripped with a view of the most gorgeous man she's ever had the pleasure to look upon. She becomes captivated by his hypnotic gaze, his heavenly violet eyes subduing her into a state of desire.


	3. Blood-Soaked Desire

**Chapter 3: Blood-Soaked Desire**

"Excuse me, would you happen to be the Ultraviolet Alchemist?"

The man towered over Verona, even though she was sitting on a tall bar stool. She tried to keep her composure, but with eyes like his, it was hard not to get lost in them. She suddenly felt a sting of panic, hoping that he did not notice how intently she was staring at him.

"N-no one has referred to me by that name in... a very long time. But yes, t-that's me."

The man grinned at her nervousness. "Well, if you don't mind me saying, your voice is as sweet as I thought it would be," he acknowledged, suddenly wishing he had not verbalized that thought.

Verona's face turned a deep shade of red, and although she was flustered, she managed to keep her eyes locked on his the entire time. "T-thank you, sir. You're not bad, yourself... Who are you, again? Do I know you from somewhere?"

He shot her a mischievous smirk. "My name is not important. All you need to know is—" The mystery man was cut off by Verona's lips crashing drunkenly into his. Without thinking, she grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him down to her level, deepening the kiss. The man was stunned for a moment, but regained his poise in no time. He promptly shoved Verona down back into her seat, stood up sharply, and wiped his lips with the back of his hand disgustedly. He slowly leaned down and put his lips next to her ear. All of a sudden, his voice changed from a soothing contralto to a hoarse, androgynous whisper. "Come with me or be prepared die, you filthy human."

He stood her up by grabbing onto her shoulders tightly and hoisting her off the seat. Verona attempted to shake out of his grasp, but his force was simply too firm. She froze with fear, her drunkenness fading as the man moved his grasp from her shoulders to her wrist. She looked back for help from Kira and Xiu, but it seemed as though they had left while Rosaline and Verona were having their drinking contest.

The man dragged her out the door to the backside of the pub and shoved her forcefully up against the wall. "HOW DARE YOU PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME, YOU REVOLTING WORM!" He balled up his right fist and punched her square in the face. She held back the urge to cry and bit her lip, which made him even more determined to get a rise out of her. "_I'll show you who's in charge here, you foolish human."_ Forgetting his fascination with her prior to this moment, he turned her body to face against the wall, held her by her hair with both of his hands, and smashed her face in over and over again. The euphoria he felt while causing this girl so much pain reminded him of his self-pleasure. This sudden realization caused him to tremble with fear and excitement. After a few moments, when it seemed as though she was not going to shed a single tear for him, he dropped her onto the cold ground. "There's not much sport in this if you're not going to whimper for me," he remarked.

Red lightning then began to surround him, turning him from a handsome brown-haired man to a shorter, slimmer, younger looking man with long, spiky, dark green hair. The only constants were his porcelain skin and his striking violet eyes.

Verona looked up, terribly confused at what she was seeing. "W-what are you?! Who are you?!" She shrieked in horror. Now that he was finally getting a rise out of the young girl, Envy smiled. "My name is Envy the Jealous, and to put it quite simply, the reason I'm here is to kidnap you. You're the Ultraviolet Alchemist, are you not? Our father needs your knowledge. You might actually become an important sacrifice, lucky you!" Envy cackled as he saw the petrified look on Verona's now-pale face.

"A sacrifice? But… why? This doesn't make any sense…" She put her hands up to her face and began to wail helplessly. She put her head against the wall and closed her eyes, hoping that her tears would the pain away.

Envy was starting to become agitated with the young girl's sniveling rather quickly. Almost immediately, he crouched down next to her and screamed in her face, "YOU STUPID FUCKING HUMAN! WHY DON'T YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH BEFORE I KILL YOU?!" He grabbed her by her tousled hair and bashed her head against the wall once more, causing her to cry even harder.

"_Well, I guess torturing her won't help with keeping her quiet…" _Envy took in a deep breath in preparation for what he was about to do. He sat down next to the whimpering girl and placed a cold, sweaty hand on her face, which cause a shiver to travel up her spine.

"I'm sorry, lovely Verona…" She cringed at hearing her name roll off his tongue. He caressed her cheek with his thumb gently, as his lips began to move closer to the other side of her face.

She turned her head towards him slowly, fearfully. He looked at her with soft eyes and a more intimate smile. Her heart began to speed up, although she wasn't sure if it was because she was more afraid or attracted to the face she was now gazing upon.

"I'll go with you." She mustered up all of her courage just to utter that simple phrase. In her mind, she was searching for a way to get out of there, and fast. He clearly wasn't a normal human, so there was no point in attempting to fight him, especially in her inebriated state.

Envy nodded at her slightly, took her hands in his, and helped hoist her off the ground. She felt extremely light headed, almost as if she was about to vomit. He let go of her hands quickly, causing her to stumble backward. He calmly turned his back to her and said, "Follow me."

"_Bingo."_ With Envy's back turned to her, Verona has seemingly found her escape route. She darts in the opposite direction of him, but quickly loses her balance, causing her to fall down on her drunken face.

He turns around and begins to laugh maniacally. "You just don't give up, do you? I should except as such from a shortsighted human like you. You're impaired, and your motor skills aren't as good as they would be if I caught you on a better day. Looks like I'm getting all the credit for your capture."

The fall causes Verona to go limp, making it easy for Envy to swipe her up off the ground. Holding her waist with his left hand, he takes out one of his daggers and holds it up to her face. He presses the dagger into her left cheek, piercing the skin. He drags it all the way down her face until he reaches the jaw bone. As the blood comes seeping through the slice in her skin, he begins to lick all the way up the laceration. His mind and body revel in tasting her sweet human blood.

He grits his teeth in pleasure, and lets out an exasperated sigh. "Looks like this'll be fun after all." He drops his knife, winds his fist back, and hits her in the head as hard as he can.

What was left of the light in her eyes seems to fade as blackness begins to cloud her vision.


	4. Conflicting Emotions

**Chapter 4: Conflicting Emotions**

Verona woke up in a daze, not sure where she was or how she got there. All she remembered was getting too drunk to remember anything. Her head was pounding, her back was aching, and her hands felt caked with dried up blood. She slowly lifted her hand to her face, feeling a large laceration that went all the way down her cheek. Touching the wound made her skin burn. Her entire body began to shake slightly with confusion and fear.

"_What… what happened to me last night? Where am I?" _Her eyes started to flutter open slowly, although letting even the littlest bit of light in stung her dull, gray orbs. Her side of the room was dimly lit by a single oil lamp that sat on the table next to the uncomfortable bed she laid in. The opposite side of the room was shrouded in darkness.

Verona sat up, feeling a wave of pain travel all the way up her spine. The sensation made her cringe for a brief moment, but her pain was quickly forgotten once she remembered she had no idea where she was. While scoping out the room as best she could, she glanced over at a large, steel door directly across from her. "_I wonder if that door is locked… Maybe it's a way out?"_ Out of curiosity, she hoisted herself up off the bed as steadily possible and began to walk dizzily towards the door. It was as if she was in some sort of dungeon; there were no windows, there was barely enough light for her to see anything, and it was so cold that she could see her breath.

As she finally made her way to the door, she froze. She heard someone, something. She heard breathing. "_Is someone in here with me?"_ She turned her head slightly to face the other side of the room, which seemed to be a dark, shadowy abyss of nothing. "_No… There's nothing over there."_ She shook the thought away from her mind, turned back to the door, and tugged on the iron handle as hard as she could, but to no avail. The sound of the impenetrable steel door vibrated throughout the entire room, causing Verona to tense up at the noise. She suddenly froze into a state of terror when she heard a quiet snicker from the unlit side of the room.

"Well, it looks like the sweet little alchemist is finally up. It took you long enough." With this distinct utterance, Verona closed her eyes and began to remember almost everything that had occurred the night before: the handsome man she kissed, the homicidal maniac he transformed into, the blow she received from him that knocked her out. Envy. That was his name. How could she forget those mysterious, bloodthirsty eyes of his? She couldn't.

"Envy." She started out slowly, "That's your name, right?" She heard his footsteps against the hard cement floor, which caused her to take a step back. Before she knew it, he had her by the wrist and she was face-to-face with the man that almost killed her. She hated to admit it, but when he was illuminated by the light, his face seemed rather gentle - much more gentle than she had seen it prior to this encounter.

He gave a small, stifled laugh. "Yeah, that's me. And you're Verona Jacobssen, the Ultraviolet Alchemist. I know too much about you for your own good, sweetie. Back when you were a state alchemist, you would use your alchemy to burn your victims using ultraviolet light. That was your signature move. Other than that, you're nothing but a mortal soul-container."

Envy's grip on her wrist tightened ever so slightly, forcing her to move towards him. Their torsos were almost touching. Now that she thought about it, Verona realized she was freezing in this holding cell. After all, she was wearing nothing but the short, ripped-up dress from the night before. She could feel his body heat radiating onto her skin, which happened to be her only solace at the moment.

Without thinking, she blurted out, "You know, I'm still an alchemist. If you had picked a fair fight instead of latching onto a defenseless, drunk girl at a bar, I would have kicked your ass." She tried her hardest to sound confident; she didn't want this guy to think she would give up so easily.

Envy let out an amused snicker. "Oh really? And how do you think you would have done that?" Without a hint of self-doubt, Verona jiggles her wrist out of his grasp and declares, "LIKE THIS, YOU BASTARD!" She places her hands together nimbly and a blue light begins to form around her. She puts her hands out in front of her, pushing forcefully into Envy's stomach. She could instantly feel his skin burning underneath her delicate fingers.

He yells out in agony, then immediately grabs Verona by the neck and puts her in a headlock. "That FUCKING hurt, you vile human. Try it again, and I'll slice the skin off the tops of your hands!" Verona's eyes narrowed down to the burns she had inflicted on his stomach. They were vanishing right before her eyes in a cloud of red lightning. That was the same lightning she saw when he transformed the night before. "_What is he…? I couldn't even inflict any damage on him?"_

She gagged a little bit, feeling out of breath due to Envy's choke hold on her. Her strawberry blonde hair was haphazardly falling into her face, blocking her vision.

"Could… could you please let go of me?" She pleaded. He complied to her request and let her throat slip away from his hold. She stood up gracefully and began to comb through her messy locks with her petite fingers. Envy stared at her inquisitively, as if he was trying to figure her out. "_She's stronger than I thought she'd be. In her weakened state, she shouldn't even be able to transmute," _Envy thought, _"She's different than other humans." _Watching her tease the knots out of her shiny, wispy hair made his insides crumble. He simply couldn't take his eyes off of her, and when she tilted her head up to look at him, his cheeks turned a shade of light rose.

Verona was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the way he was gawking at her and decided to break the painfully awkward silence. "I don't know who you are or why I'm here, and if you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But I would appreciate getting some answers out of you." She turned away from him for a second and sat softly on the creaky bed, her eyes beckoning him to follow suit. He almost immediately followed her lead, making him question why he felt so drawn to her. He looked into her eyes for a moment and instantly felt calm. Suddenly, he wasn't so afraid of his fascination with her; it seemed rational. He looked away from her and into the darkness.

"You're here because you're needed in order to complete our father's plan. I'm a homunculus, in case you haven't noticed." Envy's violet eyes gravitated towards Verona's gray ones once again, inviting her to speak up.

"You're a homunculus? That's impossible, homunculi are simply a myth… But then again, you _did_ completely heal that wound I gave you…" She looked down at her hands, feeling powerless against such an impressive creature.

"Okay," she continued, "so let's say I believe you, and let's say you _are_ a homunculus. Why does your father need me? What makes me so special?"

Envy rolled his eyes flatly, feeling the bitterness towards his attraction return. "Don't flatter yourself. You're not _that_ special. He told us you know a lot about the Philosopher's Stone. He also might want to use you as a human sacrifice in order to transmute the entire country of Amestris, which can only be done with the souls of talented alchemists who have opened the Portal of Truth."

Verona's defeated expression turned into a confused one. "Well, sure, I know a lot about the Philosopher's Stone because I figured I could find a way to bring my parents back, but when I discovered that the only way to make a Philosopher's Stone is with human souls, I stopped my research completely. Also, I've never opened the Portal of Truth, but I have heard stories about people who have. I'm not dumb enough to try human transmutation."

Envy smiled at her playfully. "Well, well, I guess you've proven that not all humans are complete idiots. There's not much else to tell you, though. Father didn't go into too much detail. But I figured I'd tell you, since there's no way for you to escape. I don't see any reason to keep you in the dark."

Verona's mouth suddenly twisted into a ridiculous smile. "Oh really? Well if you don't wanna keep me in the dark, maybe you could start by getting some better lights in here!"

Envy withheld the urge to laugh and rolled his eyes instead. "Yeah, I'll get right on that," he said sarcastically. He got up to leave, picking up the key to unlock the door from the table. As he opened the door, light flooded into the room. When hit with the bright light, Verona's seated figure started to glisten angelically. "_I just need to get the hell out of here,"_ Envy thought painfully. Once he was almost out the door, she called out to him one last time. "Oh, and Envy?" He groaned quietly under his breath and looked upon her radiant frame expectantly. He noticed that her eyes were shining for the first time since he'd met her. She flashed him a flirtatious smile. "You're a horrible kisser."


	5. Unchaste Nightmare

**Chapter 5: Unchaste Nightmare**

Verona had been in the same position for a few hours now. She hadn't the slightest clue about what time it was, but she was beginning to slump over and feel her eyes droop. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, just as she was when Envy had left her. Although her body was still worn down from the events that had ensued earlier, this was contradictory to the arousal in her brain, which was being occupied by her well-compiled hypothesizing. She was carefully calculating the chances of her escape ever since Envy left the room. No matter what plan of action she considered, it seemed as though there was no way out. She didn't even know where she was.

But finally, after hours of brainstorming, it finally clicked in her mind. The almost-perfect plan. Her limp body sparked up with optimism and her petite mouth curled up in a mischievous smile. Finally, a plan that had at least a fraction of a chance of success. The only problem was that she would need to find the strength within herself to carry out such a dicey scheme. All she needed to do was muster up her courage, get Envy to trust her, and maybe — just maybe — she could charm him into helping her escape.

After all, it was pretty hard to ignore the way he kept staring at her. She didn't know what it was; maybe it was some sort of sick fascination he had with her. Maybe he was sexually attracted to her, for some godforsaken reason. Whatever it may be, at this point it didn't matter to her. The next time she saw him, she was going to treat him as if she worshiped the ground he walked on.

Once she convinced herself that her obscure plan was going to work, she finally achieved the peace of mind needed in order to lay her mind to rest for the night.

* * *

_The room was as dark as it was sweltering. His bare skin was sticking to the dampened satin sheets of the king-sized bed he laid in. He was closing his eyes forcefully, as if doing so would send him somewhere else. He felt suffocated due to the moisture in the air, and he found himself working tirelessly for every breath he took. The heat was unbearable, but for some reason, he felt the need to stay underneath the silky, dark blue duvet. _

_He turned his head slightly, and out of nowhere, a figure appeared to be laying next to him. He could just barely make out the delicate, feminine waves in her long, golden-strawberry hair, her slender, yet well-formed figure, and her careless, dull gray eyes. He almost choked on the damp air as her exposed figure moved towards him. He attempted to rip her sweaty, wandering palms from his body, but her persistence was irrefutable. She gripped onto his dark green locks as she propped herself up on top of him. She rested her face in the crook of his neck and began hastily licking and biting at his outer shell, leaving an obvious trail of red and purple bruises each time her mouth met his skin. His skin was burning with an insatiable desire to be touched by her. _

_Going against his body's wishes, he whispered drunkenly, "Verona… stop it." His request was promptly ignored, as he felt her dripping wet insides quickly envelop his hardened shaft. He squeezed his eyes shut in euphoria and began gritting his teeth, holding back the urge to moan. She placed her hands behind his head and began to toss her hips into him recklessly, inviting his intensely warm juices to fill her. No matter how forceful her motions became, her chest was constantly rubbing against him, causing his sweat to cake onto her full breasts. She held the back of his head tenderly and looked deeply into his eyes. As their faces got closer, he noticed that her irises were no longer gray, but a swirl of pinks and purples that reminded him of the majesty of an early morning. _

_An abrupt wave of desire washed over him, as he grabbed her slippery waist and rolled her over onto her back. He bound her hands together over her head with his left hand, ensuring that if she tried to escape, there was no way she could. He had already gone way too far with her to go back now._

_The moment his tip touched her opening once more, he felt the euphoria once again. He couldn't even believe he could feel this way without inflicting pain on himself or someone else, and although this frightened him, the realization simply fueled his lust for her. He began to penetrate her relentlessly; now that he was in control, his movements were far more brutal and unsynchronized. At this point, all he could hear were her violently sexy screams, demanding him to quicken his pace. His entire body vibrated with every move, every sound, every sensation, every emotion. _

_He was beginning to feel himself nearing his finish, although he wished more than anything that this mind-blowing experience didn't have to come to an end. Reluctantly, he let out an emotionally penetrating growl as he felt her tremble below him. Knowing he was about to finish, he grabbed a fistful of her knotted hair, which seemed to be becoming darker with every whine that expelled from her lips. The dreamy, absent look on her face captivated him; it was as if she was staring into his soul. She was his weakness, and he couldn't deny it any longer. He leaned down near her face, taking in the ambrosial scent of her breath. She smelt like warm cinnamon and hazelnuts._

_Just as he was about to kiss the sweet, supple lips he thirsted for, he was suddenly ripped from her body. The temperature dropped drastically as he was flung into some sort of frigid darkness. He began desperately searching for her, but when he knew he would no longer feel her touch, he felt a severe sting of hopelessness._


	6. A Yearning for Companionship

Chapter 6: A Yearning for Companionship

Envy's striking violet eyes snapped open. He was drenched in a cold sweat that stained his bedsheets like the blood of a crime scene. He dizzily lifted his head up off the pillow and sat upright in his bed. What time was it? He couldn't even recall going to bed the night before. Once his grogginess subsided, he began to reflect on the unsettling fantasy his subconscious projected into his mind.

_"How could it have been just a dream? It felt so real..."_ Thinking about the vividness of the dream exhilarated him for a moment, causing a sickeningly warm knot to form in his stomach, but he quickly pushed the thought into the back of his mind. He banged the back of his head against the wall in frustration and let out a disgusted, self-loathing sigh. "I'm a homunculus," he said to himself, "feeling this way about a human is just vile."

He carelessly rolled off the bed and stood in front of the mirror next to his nightstand. He brings a clammy hand to his hair, ineptly combing through the slight tangles in his long, dark locks. The knots remind him of Verona's snarly mop, and how his insides trembled when his fingers were interwoven into it. He then starts to wonder if this dream was a plausible summation of what it might feel like to seize and ravage such a young, innocent creature. Remembering the way it felt, thrusting into her petite figure, evoked the image of the poisoningly seductive look in her eyes in accordance with his brutality. He looked back up at himself in the mirror, the creases in his forehead making his discontent and confusion evident. His menacing, violet eyes glazed over with a dull undertone of hatred as he gazed into own reflection.

_"What am I? I don't even feel comfortable in my own skin anymore."_ He stared at himself in frustration, slowly coming to the realization of his deep-rooted emotions. _"It's not her… it's me. Why the fuck do I feel so incomplete? Why do I feel more human than homunculus? Why… why do I want..."_

Without warning, a soft knocking sound hit his eardrums. He jumped slightly at the noise, causing his freezing sweat to suddenly turn hot. His face softened as he mentally prepared himself to talk to whoever was knocking at his door. He trudged over and jiggled the door handle open, bringing his attention to the face of his seemingly over-worked sister.

"Envy, I knew you'd be here," Lust spoke hastily, "Listen, Gluttony, Pride and I have some business to take care of in the north. Could you be a doll and tend to the prisoner while we're gone? You're the only other responsible one around here, and—"

"No," Envy's voice was rigid and piercing, "I won't. I can't look at the face of that wretched girl again. Sorry, Lust." Lust raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh, is that so?" She looked him up and down for a moment, noting that he looked disheveled and covered in sweat.

She smirked to herself as her anxieties slowly started to fade. "Well, I don't know what's got you so worked up lately, Envy, but I do know that you need some sunshine and fresh air. What do you say? Maybe some coffee, my treat?" She was still smiling mischievously, but there was a hint of endearment in her voice.

"Why?" Envy questioned, "Why do you wanna hang out all of a sudden? Don't you have a mission to get to? And what about Verona… the prisoner, I mean. Won't someone have to take care of her?" Lust put her hands on her hips in distaste. "Since when have you been so uptight? Pride and Gluttony will be able to handle the mission without me, I'm sure of it. Regarding the prisoner, I'll have Greed make sure she's fed." Envy sneered at the sound of his brother's name. "Greed?! You and I both know that that invalid can't even manage the smallest of tasks."

Lust laughed at this remark. "Envy, darling, he'll be fine. If not, you know very well that I have no problem with murdering him a thousand times over." This comment compelled Envy to smile for the first time in days. "You always know the right things to say to me, Lust. Fine, I'll go, just give me a few minutes."

* * *

The air in Central was light and crisp on that bright, Monday afternoon. The commotion of the weekend had substantially died down, and now the town was ebbing into the peaceful quiet of the week. Envy found comfort in the ambiance of the city at this time of day, which made him question why he didn't travel to Central more often. And speaking of travelling, when was the last time he had watched the sun rise? Realizing it must have been at least 3 days ago, he promised himself that he would catch the sunrise tomorrow.

He took the same form he was in the night he met Verona, dressed in a black suit jacket, khaki pants, and a white button down shirt. Lust disguised herself as Solaris, her human persona. They were sitting outside of Café der Sonne, right down the street from Central Headquarters. The few people who passed by the two gawked at them in admiration. Groups of girls looked at Envy fancifully as they passed, giggling and shooting him amorous glances. Men in suits and ties tipped their hats to Lust, which she responded to with her ever-present flirtatious smile.

They sat in serene silence for quite a while until the waiter came over to take their orders. He was a small, old man dressed in formal server attire. "Oh my," he began, "you are quite the lovely, young couple. Young love is so beautiful. How did the two of you meet?" Envy's face reddened as he gaped in disbelief at Lust for a moment, giving her the cue to talk for him. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to be too affected by this assertion. "No, no, sir. You've got it all wrong. This is my brother," she replied nonchalantly.

The old man's face turned red with embarrassment. "Oh, my apologies! I didn't mean to offend! I should have known better, you both have the same eyes." Envy and Lust turned to each other in disbelief. The man continued, "So, what will it be?" Envy, without shifting his gaze from Lust, said emotionlessly, "We'll have two black coffees, thanks." The waiter nodded his head and walked back into the café.

Lust shut her eyes, severing the nonverbal link between them. "You know, I didn't bring you out here just so we can have a fucking tea party. I know there's something wrong with you, and I want you to tell me what it is. Now." Envy inhaled coolly, put his hands behind his head, and sunk into his chair comfortably. "Before I tell you anything, there's a couple things I wanna know. Why have you suddenly taken an interest in me? Why do you care about what I'm going through? What makes you think you'll be able to understand?"

Lust quickly opened her eyes, slamming her clenched fist onto the table in anger. "You ignorant bastard, do you have any idea who you're speaking to? I know that you're envious of humans. In the depths of your being, you consider your humanity. It can be a dreadful existence, having to feel like you're stuck somewhere in the middle of being a human and being a monster. I know these things because I'm a homunculus too, Envy."

He paused for a moment, letting everything she had just said wash over him. He sat upright, inwardly contemplating what he was going to say next. Why hadn't she told him this before? For his entire life, he'd been under the impression that she loved serving their Father. He would have never guessed that she had such melancholy sentiments locked away in her psyche.

"Lust…" He hesitated, wondering if his thoughts would be able to translate into words properly. "Do you ever hate yourself? Does… does the thought of your own existence ever make you wish you never existed to begin with?" She stared at him for a moment, her bright violet eyes weighing down on him like a ton of bricks. She looked calm on the outside, but the frantic energy she exuded was evident to him. She averted her eyes from her expectant brother, shielding her face with a shaky hand.

"I know it can be scary," she stammered, her change in pitch making it quite obvious just how hysterical she was. "Especially for you. I mean, come_ on_, you're _Envy_; you were designed specifically to desire what you can't have. I can only imagine how deeply it tears you up inside…" She took her hand away from her face to gaze upon her brother, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry if this is such a shock to you. It's just such a relief to be able to talk about it."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, but the silence they sat in spoke volumes. Envy didn't feel the need to interrupt the stillness of the moment. He knew that his embellished remarks would only dissolute her lightheartedness.

The waiter returned to the table without a word, lowering two small cups of coffee onto the table. He grinned fervently at Lust, whom replied to his cordiality with a weak smile. Once he was no longer within earshot, Envy decided to finally speak up.

"I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm sorry for being such an idiot about the whole thing. I just never knew you felt this way until now. I guess you just hide it well — unlike me," he said in spite of himself, influencing an uncomfortable laugh to rise out of his chest.

Lust, not seeming to notice his awkward disposition, professed, "Envy, there's no need to hide it any longer. It's wonderful to act on your desires; you owe it to yourself to do what brings you joy! I've deprived myself of that luxury for long enough. I want to feel happiness, don't you?" She took his hands and held them tightly, filtering the excitement she felt through her tight grip. She was more animated than Envy had ever seen her in his entire life; she was bursting at the seams with emotion.

She became momentarily flustered, noticing Envy staring at her with a dumbfounded look on his face. Taking her hands away from his, she pulled herself back together and wiped the tears away from her pale cheeks. "Don't hate yourself, love. I won't allow it." She smiled at him lightly.

He dismissed his sister's ridiculous statement, taking a sip of his lukewarm coffee before speaking. "Yeah, that's easier said than done. You're gonna have to give me a rain check on that one. But what you said about acting on your innermost desires… yeah, how exactly should I go about that?"

She contemplated the question for a moment, taking in a shallow breath. "The first step to doing that is to stop judging yourself for feeling the way you do. Like, for example, that girl. The prisoner. You can't look me in the eyes and tell me you don't have some sort of interest in her. You've been acting so strangely ever since she arrived." She paused to take a swig of her drink, but not before Envy interjected.

"Lust, that's a _preposterous_ accusation. That human means_ nothing_ to me." He made sure to emphasize every word, trying his hardest to seem truthful. Lust smiled at him mockingly, but decided not to prod him on the subject any longer. It was evident to her that he was losing his patience.

She felt an uncomfortable lump form in her throat, holding back the urge to let out a violent sob. Teardrops began to scatter themselves onto her pale cheeks once more. She gently closed her eyes and let the radiance of the afternoon sun warm her entire being

"Envy, thank you."


	7. Fortuitous Angel

**Chapter 7: Fortuitous Angel**

Verona rolled over onto her side, feeling her stomach cramp up due to severe hunger. She clutched onto the light gray shirt she was now wearing, courtesy of Lust. The black sweatpants she gave her were pretty big, considering Verona's petite figure, but the drawstring definitely helped keep them up.

The homunculi weren't so bad. After all, they _did_ clothe her and feed her (most of the time). She'd only actually met Pride, Lust and Envy, and they didn't treat her horribly. Pride was pretty reserved and standoffish towards her, Lust would ask her how she was doing, and Envy actually _conversated_ with her. Maybe their kindness was just their way of swaying her — she couldn't tell.

But it's not like their fake humanity was working on her. She still wanted to escape more than anything. In her few attempts, she found that every corner of her cell was made of some alchemy-repelling material, rendering her skills useless. She hadn't seen Envy in what felt like an eternity — not because she missed his presence, but because her plan had yet to begin and she was starting to get anxious. She needed to get the hell out of there.

Thinking about being back on the outside brought up the thought of her dear aunt. There was no doubt that she was worried sick; losing yet another family member would be too much for her to bear. No one else would care much, though; this became apparent to Verona when her friends ditched her at the bar, unconsciously aiding in her kidnapping.

Verona dismissed her thoughts rather quickly when she heard a rattling noise coming from the door. Someone was unlocking it. She sat up straight and tried to make herself look as presentable as she could, just in case it was Envy who was coming in.

The opened door let an excessive amount of light into the room as a tall, muscular man stepped through the doorway. He was holding a platter of baked fish, peas, a baguette, and a glass of water. The man shut the door behind him and the light from the outside disappeared as instantaneously as it came. He dropped the platter of food onto the table thoughtlessly and turned to Verona. He took off his sunglasses and gave her a quick once-over.

"Well, well, hello beautiful. Lust didn't tell me our captive would be so breathtaking. I'm Greed, it's a pleasure." He took her hand in his and kissed it politely. Verona blushed furiously at the man's forwardness.

"Um… Hi Greed, I'm Verona. It's nice to meet you too." She was suspicious as to what this man's motives may pertain to, wondering if small talk was the only thing he was after. He was a little _too_ nice for her taste.

He leaned in close and shot her a devilish grin. "Verona… what an angelic name." Letting go of her hand, he stood up and looked down at her menacingly. He seemed to tower over her seated figure. "You know, Verona… I'm a pretty avaricious guy. I _always_ get what I want. And when I don't get what I want, I take it."

Verona swallowed hard, trying not to acknowledge the meaning behind Greed's chilling words. She really didn't want to fight him; it became obvious to her that she was rather rusty during her last altercation with Envy. She knew that if Greed started a conflict with her, she would have no choice but to surrender.

Greed wasted no time in picking a fight with her. Once he saw the panic finally set in on her face, he swooped down and grabbed her by her tiny neck, picking her up off the bed with his tightening grip. This caused a short, agony-filled scream to rise out of her lungs. She unsuccessfully attempts to pry his hand off of her neck, quickly losing breath and kicking her legs wildly into the air. He looked cruelly into her pale eyes, those of which were now riddled with pain.

Thinking quickly, Verona took her hands from his grip around her throat and put them together, causing a blue aura to discharge from her body. She grabbed hold of his face with her right hand, blasting his head to smithereens. He let go of her neck and fell backward onto the concrete floor, allowing her to collapse onto the bed and regain her composure for a split second.

She bounced up off the mattress and staggered towards the iron door, hoping that there was a possibility of it being unlocked. She tried to turn to handle, but just like every time before, it was sealed shut. A feeling of dread welled up inside of her as she felt a hand being placed on her shoulder. He grasped her shirt tightly, provoking her to shiver in fear. She was pulled back from the door and thrown up against the wall beside her bed, causing her to hit her head. Dizziness seemed to cloud her mind almost immediately, allowing her body to grow weak and her eyes to shut gently.

She felt him pick her up by her shoulders and push her up against the wall. He thrust his body into her with considerable force. She cracked her eyes open slightly, only to see his hungry, lustful orbs fixed upon her as if he was a puma and she was his next meal. She shut her eyes as firmly as she could, wishing that the blow to her head had just knocked her out instead. She knew full well what was about to transpire now.

Just before Greed was about to sink his teeth into her, she heard a door opening. A bright light began to filter into the room.

"Greed, let go of her. Now." It was Envy. There was a hint of well-placed agitation in his voice. Greed dumped Verona's limp body onto the ground without question, turning to the disgusted-looking homunculus standing in the doorway. "Hey little bro, what are you doing back so soon?" He started calmly, "I thought you were on a hot date with Lust. I'm just trying to get some too, you know. We can't all be as lucky as you."

Envy scoffed at his brother, undoubtedly enraged by this assumption. "You're even more twisted than I thought, Greed. _I'm_ not the one who would have sex with my own sister. But let's be honest here, you'd fornicate with a dead rat if you knew it would get you off, wouldn't you? You sicken me."

Greed let out a shrilling laugh. "Oh I see what you're doing here, you want all the ladies to yourself, don't you? Well fine, you can have this one. I didn't want her anyway." He walked by Envy casually, purposefully grazing his shoulder against him and shutting the door as he trudged out.

Envy paced over to Verona and knelt down next to her. "Hey, are you alright?" His tone of voice made him sound disinterested and unconcerned, but Verona had a feeling this was not the case. She opened one eye and saw the homunculus she had once hated, who had now become her savior. He took her in his arms and hoisted her up off the ground with ease. She found comfort in his warm embrace as she wrapped her hands around his neck tenderly.

He carefully laid her down in the unmade bed, pulling the light sheets over her slender body. Although she looked a bit beaten up, he couldn't help but feel the kind of irrational wanting for her that he experienced the night he met her. The overwhelming feeling pressured him to sit by the side of the bed next to her motionless body and watch over her while she regained her strength. He then saw her lips press together in an attempt to speak. The words were quiet, but he heard them almost perfectly.

"Envy… thank you…"


	8. Silent Tears

**WARNING: **There is a great, big dosage of 'blurred lines' in this chapter — do not read if you are triggered or made uncomfortable by reading about **rape/sexual abuse** of any kind!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Silent Tears**

Verona awoke from her temporary stupor. Her body felt almost completely numb, aside from her pounding head. She opened her eyes, allowing the dim light of the bedside lamp to seep into her retinas. Looking over to the edge of the bed, she laid her gaze upon Envy's shadowy figure, who was staring at her intently.

He perked up slightly, startled by Verona's sudden waking. "Oh, you're up." He spoke dully in an attempt to seem less interested than he was. He paused for a moment, struggling to think of what to say next without sounding like an idiot. "Uh… you alright?"

Verona felt her heart begin to pound. Was he concerned about her? "Oh, yeah, I guess I'm okay. My head just hurts a little bit... but I'm sure I'll be fine. No need to be worried."

His uneasy presence turned to senseless animosity, an emotion he took on the role of far too well. "Oh shut up, you worthless human! Why in the world would I be worried about anything, especially the likes of you?" He turned away from her, crossing his arms over his chest in disgust.

He slowly angled his head back towards her, noticing that his outburst did not seem to affect her mood whatsoever. In fact, her lips were curled into a light, endearing smile. _'She's smiling at me?'_ It seemed as though she was used to this kind of treatment by now. It was unbelievable to him, but somehow she was beginning to understand the way his mind worked — or at least that's what he thought. He let his crossed arms fall to his sides, suddenly regretting the way he was acting.

Envy slowly migrated towards the head of the bed and stared at her blankly for a moment. Cautiously, he leaned his face in nearer to her, forming a rather intimate distance between their lips. The closeness caused a feverish warmth to stir in Verona's chest, rising all the way up into her pale cheeks.

He brought his hands up towards her cheeks and rested his thumbs on the corners of her small mouth in an attempt to lightly pry her lips open. All he wanted was the aroma of her breath to infiltrate his senses. He took in a deep breath, hoping that she would smell just as alluringly as he had imagined.

To his disappointment, she did not emit the sugary-sweet scents that he craved — instead, her breath smelt of dried tea leaves and celery salt. It wasn't the best thing he'd ever smelt in his life, but it certainly wasn't the worst, either.

Feeling Envy steal away each breath she took kindled a hot pink hue upon Verona's face. His warm, inviting breath felt much more pleasant than she had anticipated it would. "E-Envy…" She spoke quietly, "What are you d-doing?"

He drew his face away from her mouth and locked his violet eyes onto her plain, gray ones. "I'm just acting on my desires." Without a second thought, he grasped her glowing face, closed his eyes tightly, and pressed his lips forcefully onto hers.

The taste of poignant coffee filled her mouth. Up until this point, she never really thought about how much she enjoyed the flavor. Resisting the urge to let him keep kissing, she sat upright in her bed, placed her hands on his toned chest and pushed him away.

"Envy!" Her outburst was louder than expected, causing a scowl to develop on Envy's face. She didn't mean to push him away from her, it was just an instinct.

Their faces parted only slightly, but this did not stop Envy from roaring in her face. "What?! Just let me do what I want, you insignificant tramp. It'll be much easier for the both of us if you just keep quiet and do as I say." The sting of humiliation heated his body, only intensifying his cravings. She didn't want him? She had no choice.

He narrowed his eyes in towards her mouth and sunk his teeth into her bottom lip. It seemed so plump and moist, he couldn't help but bite down in an attempt to pierce the skin. He wanted her to bruise for him. He wanted her to shed blood for him. He took his hands from his lap and slid them under her t-shirt, digging his claws into the small of her back and squeezing his eyes shut in pleasure.

Verona shivered in fear and nervous tears flooded her eyes. The blood seeping through the raw wound on her bottom lip saturated her mouth and was now dripping down her chin. It was becoming more and more obvious that all Envy wanted to do was cause her pain, and all she could do was succumb to his power. This was the first time she'd felt real fear towards him since the night he kidnapped her. Not knowing what else to do, she shut her eyes and silently prayed to whoever would listen. _'Please, do not let my life come to an end tonight. I hope to live to see the light of day again.'_

The salty blend of Verona's blood and tears fueled Envy's arousal. He had never been so intimate with anyone before, let alone a human. His neck was dripping with sweat from the excitement and the anxiety of it. He slowly dragged the palms of his hands down the fresh cuts on his victim's back. The sweat on his palms mixing with the blood in her wounds made her shiver. The stinging pain vibrated through her entire body.

Verona's slight quiver drove Envy mad with lust for her. Taking his teeth away from her lip, he pushed her top half into the bed and spread himself out on top of her. He then sits back up and begins to straddle her, lessening the weight on her delicate ribcage. Verona quickly notices the firm, throbbing essence in Envy's skort settle itself between her legs. Her face turns a deeper shade of red and her body tingles with embarrassment.

Their eyes meet once again as Envy clutches onto Verona's soft cotton t-shirt and raises it above her head. Now that her entire top half was exposed to him, her immediate reaction was to shield her abnormally large breasts from view, but not before Envy leaned over and began to plant soft kisses and pecks along her chest.

Verona froze, not realizing that Envy had a gentle, more sensual side to him. With each warm kiss he bestowed onto her aching breast, she unconsciously let out a whimper, each more piercing than the last. "Mmm, ooh.. More.. please, m-more.." Her pain and distress subsided as she was enveloped by his affectionate touch.

He was enraptured by her moaning, and although he wasn't sure why, he suddenly felt the need to appease her. He made his way up to the crook in her neck and started a trail of kisses. He made sure to lick every spot he laid his lips on, knowing she would make a fuss over it each time. "Oh.. oh fuck.." she whined, twisting her head back in satisfaction.

He kissed all the way down to her right breast and continued to kiss around the nipple. She trembled encouragingly beneath him as he began to suck erratically against the skin of her chest. It definitely wasn't as gentle as before, but she didn't seem to mind. He grew breathless rather quickly while losing himself in the taste of her skin, giving himself no choice but to release her. Staring back at the damage he had done to her skin compelled him to smirk deviously. The bite mark was small compared to her massive chest, but the mark was so deep and colorful, he couldn't help but feel proud.

The amorous exchange between them concluded as quickly as it commenced. The yearning for blood and torture crept back into Envy's mind. She gave him a look of bewilderment as their eyes met once again — the last time their eyes would meet that night. He winked at her suggestively and begins to roughly grope her breasts with both hands. He feels her tense up beneath his touch and sees a pained, confused pout appear on her face. This only coerces him to squeeze harder. Under his right hand, he can feel her heart throbbing. It was beating faster than the wings of a hummingbird.

"Envy, please stop. You're hurting me." She bit her lip, wondering if the sensual side of him had left for good. "Are you serious?" He questions, "What would the point of this interaction be if I didn't cause you to suffer?" The moment the words left his mouth, he could feel her heart speed up.

"W-what..?" She trembled with fear and averted her gaze from him. She couldn't bear to look at him, although she wasn't sure it was because of her fear or her hate. As she turned her head, she felt teeth sink into her neck, forcing a scream to escape her throat.

He could taste the blood forming around the bite almost immediately. It was almost too easy for him to inflict pain on his dainty victim. He licked up as much of the blood as he took, then got up off of her and stood up. With a snap of his fingers and a flash of red light, his clothes were no longer present. He leaned down next to Verona, who was too busy pressing her eyes shut and pretending she was somewhere else, and slipped his index fingers into the waistband of her sweatpants and panties. Once he completely stripped her of clothes, he crawled back on top of her. She was pretty cold — colder than a human should be. _'She's already dead inside anyway.'_

He put his hands in between her thighs and pushed her legs apart. He heard a mournful whimper come from her, but there were no objections. As much as he wanted her to say no, he guessed she had already given up. He settled his erection near her entrance and smirked at her sadistically, but her eyes were wired shut.

"Ugh," he groaned. 'I wanted to have a little bit more fun with this. Oh well.' With one small movement, he was enveloped by her warm, wet insides. She stiffened like a board and tried her hardest not to scream, but her efforts were unsuccessful. She attempted to wriggle away from him, but he hindered her actions by quickly grabbing onto her throat. It wasn't enough to kill her, but it was just enough for her to lose her breath.

"Don't move, you worthless animal. Don't you dare try to overpower me." She had no idea how badly he had wanted to say those words. He took his hands away from her throat and slapped her in the face for good measure. He penetrated more deeply into her and let out a hard, raspy moan. He held tightly onto her hips and thrusted into her as if she was simply his play toy.

The one part of Envy's dream that was accurate was the way he fornicated — his dug into her with no momentum whatsoever and his execution was savage, to say the least. With each thrust, he felt his insanity overwhelming him more and more. He looked down upon the damage he was doing and noticed that there was blood seeping out of her opening and onto his shaft. Was she a virgin, or was he just too good at this?

Verona barely opened her eyes to gaze upon the silhouette of the person who was now assaulting her in ways she couldn't even wrap her head around. _'I can't believe I actually thought this plan would work. I hate everything about myself.' _She looked as if she was asleep, but tears silently rushed down her paled face. She couldn't fight anymore. All she had done was fight ever since she was kidnapped. She was losing her hope and her willingness to go on. The only thing she could do now was to block out the feeling of Envy penetrating her relentlessly and stripping her of what innocence she had left.

The last thing Envy wanted to do was end his reign of carnage on sweet Verona, but once he felt himself nearing his peak, he had no other choice. As his hot fluid filled her insides, he let out a loud, pained-sounding groan. He kept thrusting into her in an attempt to keep himself from losing his erection and his endurance, but the laws of nature were working against him. Reluctantly pulling himself out of her, he slowly stood up and returned his clothes to his body. Now that he was done with her, he felt no need to look upon her or touch her in any way. He heard her soft, muffled whimpering — an indication of a job well done.

"Hey, get some sleep tonight," he said with his back turned to her. "I'm taking you somewhere tomorrow morning. You better not be falling asleep on me when we get there." He walked over to the wide, iron door and turned to knob carefully. Without another word, he exited the room.

Verona still had her eyes shut. She did not want to open them, in fear that what she saw may paralyze her in sadness and regret. Her silent tears kept spilling out, as did the blood dripping through her wounds. She laid in silence for hours, knowing full well that if she moved an inch, the physical pain would only make the emotional pain that much worse.

Her heart was broken, her hope was dwindling. _'My only wish is that tomorrow will be better than today. This is all I can afford to ask.'_


	9. After the Storm

**Chapter 9: After the Storm**

The passing hours had stopped the bleeding and the numbness she felt quieted the tears. She found her need for sleep to be irrelevant — she knew her dreams would be equally as torturous as her reality.

Up until now, Verona firmly believed that the military had prepared her for anything. Never in her entire life did she think she would turn to putty in the hands of a godless pseudo-human who got a kick out of causing her pain. She thought she would be better at defending herself, but the mild sensory deprivation and the emotional trauma she was still suffering from aided in her vulnerability. It was highly out of character for Verona to feel so helpless, especially against such measurable odds.

The situation she was in reminded her of the last and only other time she'd ever felt helplessness. A war broke out between Amestris and Aerugo 5 years ago, forcing Verona and the rest of the Southern Military out onto the battlefield. During this time, she and two of her fellow soldiers were made prisoners of war by the Aerugian government. They made sure to deprive Verona of any sunlight for weeks, rendering her alchemy useless. Seemingly amused by their own endeavors, they put a gun in Verona's hands and told her she had no choice but to kill one of her two comrades. If she did not comply, all three of them would end up dead. Sergeants Kayneth Griswold and Julia Huckabee — she didn't know them well, but being held captive together bonded them. She found it painful to kill anyone, let alone a comrade. She waited one day, then two, then three. The stress of knowing what she would have to eventually do weighed down on her conscience. Thankfully, on the third day, the headquarters was taken over by Amestrian military forces and the three soldiers were saved.

But the situation Verona was in right now was nothing like being in war. There was no one else being held prisoner with her, no one else to share her grief with. She knew that the military was not looking for her, considering the homunculi's Father had the entire country in a chokehold. She was alone, but she didn't feel peacefully alone like she usually did — she felt afraid and irritable and depressed.

Her physical and mental states wouldn't be nearly as bad if she had never encountered Envy. He drained every last shred of positive energy she had within her. The night before was so awful, she went from wishing to stay alive to wishing she was dead.

He made her yearn for the sweet release of death, and yet, he was the only thing keeping her sane. He was the only constant in her life these past few weeks. The thought of a familiar face kept her from jumping off the deep end, even if that face was the one that had initially caused this pain. She hated him more than she ever thought she could hate, but she also found comfort in his presence.

A quiet tap on the iron door resonated through the air. She jolted up at the sound of the noise, trying her hardest to ignore the sharp pain that rang out through her body. Who could possibly be knocking? No one had ever knocked before entering her cell. She heard the hushed rattling of the doorknob, and in stepped Envy with a towel over his shoulder and a vial of green fluid in his hand.

Verona felt her heart flutter at the sight of him, but the stabbing pain she was in reminded her that he was the enemy.

"Oh, so you're already up!" He was more upbeat than usual. "It's 5 AM, so I figured you'd still be beat from last night." Was he trying to be clever? Verona couldn't tell. There was a dash of cheerfulness in his laugh today, making it difficult for her to determine exactly what was running through his mind.

"Yeah, I never went to sleep, actually." Hearing herself speak for the first time in what felt like eons sounded foreign. She was surprised it didn't hurt.

Envy's smile subsided and a more serious frown took its place. "You better not fall asleep on me today, human. Everything needs to go as planned."

She gulped nervously at his harsh tone. What was so important, anyway? "I promise you, I won't fall asleep." Her voice didn't shake. It was the one characteristic about her that remained resolute.

He rolled his eyes and huffed at her. "Whatever you say, alchemist. I just need you to drink something first." He held up the vial and twirled it around. "This medicine will heal most of your wounds. The last thing I need is anyone seeing you limping or crying or something."

Without a word, Verona nodded. She just wanted to be out of this horrible pain. He walked over to her and put his free hand under her chin. "Tilt your head up," he said calmly. His surprisingly soft touch and even voice made her want to obey his every command. She did as she was told, and the bitter-tasting juice slid down her throat. In seconds, she could feel her skin singe as her wounds began to heal.

"Thank you, I needed that," she hummed, attempting to get him on her side once again. He squinted his eyes at her suspiciously, but said nothing of it.

"Now, I need you to wrap this towel around you and come with me. You need to bathe — you look like a filthy animal." He tossed the towel into her lap and turned to leave. "I'll be waiting outside the door — it'll be open for you."

'Will I finally be able to go outside?' The thought of being able to feel the sunlight and fresh air once again gave her the energy to get out of bed and wrap the towel around herself.

Twisting the doorknob and actually feeling it release gave her such sweet satisfaction, it was difficult to keep her smile at bay. As she closed the door behind her, she gave her new surroundings a once-over. The hideout seemed to be quite dull, yet homey. The space was entirely covered in dark, shabby planks and there was barely any lighting, but it definitely beat being stuck in her jail cell. She assumed they were underground, considering there were no windows to be seen. Envy was standing beside her with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Come this way," he muffled, jolting her back into reality. They turned to the left, almost in unison, and walked over to the door at the very end of the hallway. Envy opened the door and turned on the light, revealing a world-class bathroom with dozens of showers that seemed to have water jets at every possible angle. Verona peered around the corner, finding a tight, black dress, high-heeled pumps, and a dark, lacey niqab hanging on the towel rack next to the door.

"Don't try to escape, because I'll be right outside the door. Make it quick because we don't have much time," he snorted. She looked back at him and gave him a puzzling look. "What will we be late for? Where are we going?"

He shot her a cocky grin. "I'd call it my personal utopia."


	10. Disjunction of the Heart

**Chapter 10: Disjunction of the Heart**

Although they were up at an ungodly hour, Central city was fairly lively. The sun wasn't even up yet, but there were people on the sidewalks and cars cruising up and down the faintly lit streets. Envy, now in the form of a short, teenage girl, gripped Verona's hand possessively as they bounced down the streets towards the hills outside of the city. He was a fair skinned girl with dark brown hair. He had light, green ribbons holding up his pigtails and he wore a white babydoll t-shirt and a light green cotton skirt. Verona could have sworn that he copied the gladiator shoes she wore the night of her kidnapping, because they looked almost identical. As for the strawberry blonde, her entire body was covered in black attire. The niqab she wore shielded her face from the people they passed by.

Once they got close enough to the outskirts of the city, Envy stopped dead in his tracks and looked onward. "It's just up there," he spoke introspectively, neglecting to mask his voice. "We don't have much time."

Verona, though she still wasn't sure what he was talking about, simply nodded and followed him out of the city. She didn't want to get on his bad side again.

* * *

"Who told him he could lend her my clothing? It certainly wasn't me." Lust and Gluttony looked down upon Envy and Verona from their perch on the tallest building on the east side of the city. Lust glared daggers at the short girl in pigtails. Her face twisted in disgust—her eyes were burning with hatred and her lips were curled down in a miserable scowl. "How _dare_ he…"

Gluttony looked from Envy to Lust with blatant, naive concern. "What's wrong, Lust?" He took his thumb in his mouth and sucked on it nervously. In most situations, Gluttony would only be interested in his basic, animalistic needs, but if that situation had to do with Lust's happiness, it would be a different story. She had a tortured look on her face, and he didn't like that one bit.

Her face fell, empty sadness painting her facial features. She was no longer scowling, but staring vacantly into the distance at nothing in particular. "My existence is meaningless. There is nothing I do that holds any value. It's not beautiful. It's agonizing." Her arms, which were crossed firmly over her chest, shook slightly as she drawled, but her voice remained devoid of all emotion. "I would give anything to live the way the humans do, but I know it's not possible. I'm a _homunculus_." Her voice hitched on the last word; it sounded like a combination of a snarl and a heave.

Gluttony kept his gaze locked on Lust's profile, scratching his head thoughtfully as he did so. "Do you hate Father? He made you, so… does that mean you hate him?"

Lust turned her beady, violet eyes toward her companion, who was now pulling on her gloved arm. She offered him a smile, but even he was smart enough to acknowledge her feigned contentment. Her smile looked forlorn and she looked so unsure of herself, but her final statement of the morning sounded the furthest from unsure. In fact, it was the most sure of anything she'd ever been in her life.

"No, but sometimes I hate myself."

* * *

The sky was a mix of blue and orange by the time they arrived at the hill. The wispy clouds of the morning floated over the horizon against the beautifully-melded colors that appeared just before the break of dawn. But this wasn't what Envy was there to see—no, he was anticipating the arrival of the sunrise and the most beautiful colors known to man. Whenever he looked up at the deep, violet hue painting the infinite expanse, he couldn't help but feel a calming sense of security overwhelm him. In the few moments that the sun peaked just over the horizon, he felt the tiniest bit of humanity. His appreciation for the sunrise was what initially made him start questioning the complexity of his life and the meaning of his existence. It was just so overwhelming beautiful and he didn't feel ashamed.

He didn't think much about his plan, but the closer it got to sunrise, the more confident he felt in his decision to bring Verona to his special oasis. In order to learn more about his own humanity, he'd decide to show Verona the one thing that had ever made him feel human, so that maybe she'd unintentionally teach him more about himself.

More than that, though, he was beginning to get used to the human's company. He found her tired eyes and weakened smile charming, although he'd never say it out loud. Sometimes, Envy found parts of himself in the things she did and said. Her voice was sometimes harsh and rude, and when she was feeling confident enough, she would throw stark comments at him with the intent to rile him up. It made him laugh. Since she was basically powerless, if she succeeded in starting a fight with him, she would have no chance of winning, but she prattled on to him anyway. It was fascinating. They were both domineering, demanding, and resentful of each other. Come to think of it, the similarities between the two probably had a lot to do with his decision to bring her to the hill.

"Wow, I've never seen the sky like this before," Verona's voice softened into a low whisper, as if speaking too loudly would disrupt the natural order. They had just rested down on the top of the hill and daylight was drawing nearer. Envy, who was now in his original form, turned to look at the human sitting next to him. She was no longer wearing the niqab. The deep, orange light of the sky bounced off her strawberry locks and porcelain skin. Her eyes were beginning to resemble more of a radiant brown than the dull gray he was used to. It didn't suit her, and for some reason, it made Envy nervous.

"Yeah, I do this all the time," he said simply, hiding his anxiety with an incurable hint of annoyance. He tried to look away from her form, but he was finding it to be an impossible task. It reminded him of the night he saw her at the bar. The moment he laid eyes on her, he couldn't tear himself away. It made him feel reckless and violent and lascivious. Normally, he would merely take what he wanted, whether it be blood and guts or sexual pleasure, but in this moment it felt horribly wrong. He didn't want to taint the beauty of the sunset with his impurities.

"Hey, listen…" Envy started, sounding rude and unsure of himself. "You're the only human I've ever come into such close contact with. For hundreds of years, I've tried to stay _far_ away from you humans. I just do what needs to be done and I think nothing of it. It's how I survive…" His voice tapered off. He was beginning to wonder if it would be a good idea to explain himself; maybe it would help relieve some of the stress that's been weighing on him.

"Why do you hate humans so much?" Verona turned to face him; her eyes looked a little less brown. "I mean, I know _all _of you homunculi hate humans, but I feel you're different."

Envy's confidence surged when he noticed her eyes were lacking in character once more. "You're asking me _why_ I hate humans?" He scoffed, as if the answer was as plain as day. "Because they make me sick, that's why. How dare they live lives more fulfilling than mine? How dare they smile and laugh together? How dare they act as if _they're_ the ones who've been born of a superior species? _How dare they_? I say they deserve to be wiped off the face of the planet!"

Verona shuddered at his intensification, but his words didn't seem to strike a chord. "Being human isn't all that great, you know. You're lucky—you're a homunculus. You're basically immortal—"

"YOU SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH! YOU HAVE _NO_ IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE!" Envy's shoulders slumped down as he covered his face with his arms and brought his knees up to his chest. He was boiling over with anger, but he hadn't the strength to put her in her place. Now, he just wished she was gone. How could she possibly comprehend the trials of a homunculus? She couldn't.

Verona shifted closer to the deranged pseudo-human, placing a delicate hand on his upper back. This compelled him to cringe, but he does nothing to stop her from touching him. He doesn't say a word.

"I'm sorry," she lilted softly, "I'll try my hardest to understand…" They sat in silence for a while, giving Verona ample time to think about the situation she was in. He'd done all this—brought her to this place, told her these things, and for what? It was blatantly obvious that she'd gained his trust; he let her into the deepest corners of his mind, where he couldn't even trust himself to enter. Suddenly, her motives felt wrong. In this moment, he seemed more human than she had ever been in her life. She didn't know how to make him feel better, but she knew she wanted to. Was this what some would call love? If that was the case, love was a crazy thing.

She felt crazy for loving him—hell, she felt crazy just being _around_ him. She wouldn't have wanted it any other way, though. Whatever he conjured up in that fucked-up mind of his, she wanted to experience it in it's entirety. She no longer wanted to escape; she just wanted to be a part of his world. Nothing else mattered. Now, he was her everything.

Envy, who had yet to calm the storm that was billowing inside of him, looked back up at the horizon. A destroyed look appeared upon his face when he realized that he'd missed the sunrise, thanks to his brooding. The sky was not that violet color that he held so dear. He felt hollow.

It was the only time in his life he ever felt like crying.


End file.
